The Mies van der Rohe Skyscraper Controversy
Developer Peter Palumbo spent decades trying to build a modern Mies van der Rohe skyscraper next to the Bank of England, a project fiercely opposed by Prince Charles.
In the 1960s, property developer Lord Peter Palumbo commissioned the legendary modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe to design a sleek, 19-storey glass and steel skyscraper for Mansion House Square, right in the historic heart of the City of London.
To clear the site, Palumbo quietly bought up Victorian buildings over two decades. However, by the time he applied for planning permission in the 1980s, the public mood had shifted towards conservation. The scheme faced ferocious opposition, most notably from Prince Charles, who famously described the design as a 'giant glass stump, better suited to downtown Chicago'.
No 1 Poultry
The planning application was ultimately rejected following a public inquiry. Palumbo eventually replaced the Mies van der Rohe scheme with a Postmodern design by James Stirling, which became the iconic, wedge-shaped No 1 Poultry building.